russell



Feb. 7, 1956 Filed Jan. 25. 1952 G. L. RUSSELL MAGNETIC DEVICES 4 Sheaens-Sheeil l INVENTOR.

46a/ge ffsezz.

Feb. 7, 1956 G. l.. RUSSELL 2,733,949

MAGNETIC DEVICES Filed Jan. 25, 1952 4 sheets-sheet 2 l V ii?? l 'lkw' F.

i. "2. INVENTOR.

Feb. 7, 1956 Filed Jan. 25, 1952 G. L. RUSSELL MAGNETIC DEVICES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 7, 1956 G, 1 RUSSELL 2,733,949

MAGNETIC DEVICES Filed Jan. 25, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 rara/EVS United States Patent O MAGNETIC DEVICES George Lewis Russell, Fair Haven, Mich.; Emily Louise Russell, executrix of said George Lewis Russell, deceased Application January 25, 1952, Serial No. 268,239

33 Claims. (Cl. 29465.5)

This invention relates generally to magnetically energized devices and more particularly to such devices which utilize a permanent magnet and a keeper movable relative to each other for releasing attracted material. 1t is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 262,462, tiled December 19, 1951, for Magnetic Devices, which is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 177,541, filed August 3, 1950, for Magnetic Devices, now Patent No. 2,693,979, dated November 9, 1954. Other features shown but not claimed herein are shown and claimed in my said copending application, Serial No. 177,541.

An object of this invention is to provide a more efcient and more economically manufactured permanent magnet device for collecting magnetic material.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described which may be easily used.

Another object is to provide such a device in which the material collected by the device may be easily removed therefrom when desired.

Another object is to provide such a device in which the magnet is movable relative to the material attracted 'thereby for discharging such attracted material.

Another object is to provide such a device in which a permanent magnet is contained within a shell, a portion of which is made of nonmagnetic material and a portion of which is made of magnetic material, the magnet being movable relative to the shell into the nonmagnetic material portion for picking up magnetic material and movable into the magnetic portion whereby the material is released.

Another object is to provide such a device in which such shell has a very thin nonmagnetic material portion against which the attracted material will be held.

Another object is to provide a device in which a permanent magnet is contained within a shell having a nonmagnetic wall portion deining a space into which the magnet is movable to pick up particles which are magnetically attracted to the surface of such wall portion, a magnetic Wall portion defining a second space into which the magnet is movable for keepering the magnet to release the pickedup particles, such device being characterized by guiding means to prevent direct engagement of the magnet with the magnetic wall portion.

Another object is to provide such a device in which the magnetic Wall portion is exteriorly covered by nonmagnetic material.

A still further object is to provide such a device with a connection between the magnet and its actuating mechanism to permit the magnet to seat properly on this pick up surface.

Another object is to provide a tool energized by a permanent magnet which can readily be used to remove nails, tacks, screws, or other small parts from bins or other containers.

Another object is to provide such a device which may be operated by using just one hand.

Another object is to provide ysuch a device in which 'ice the range of movement of the hand gripped parts for m0v ing a permanent magnet into a magnetic structure is within the range of movement of most hands.

Another object is to provide such a device which may be adjusted for picking up various quantities of magnetic material.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the specification, the appended claims, and the drawings, in which drawings,

Figure l is a view in central vertical section of one form of a permanent magnet energized device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a View in central vertical section of a second form of a permanent magnet energized device embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a View in central vertical section of another form of a permanent magnet energized device embodying the invention;

Fig. 6 is a view in central vertical section of still another form of a permanent magnet energized device embodying the invention;

Fig. 7 is a View taken along the line 7-"7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view taken substantially along the line 8 8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a view in central vertical section of a still further form of permanent magnet energized device embodying the invention;

Fig. 9A is an enlarged fractional View of substantially the portion of Fig. 9 Within the dot-dash circle 9A and showing the relative transverse dimensions of the parts;

Fig. l() is a View taken substantially along the line lnlll of Fig. 9;

Fig. l1 is a view taken substantially along 11-11 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a view taken substantially along 12-12 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a View in central vertical section of a still further form of permanent magnet energized device em* bodying the invention;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 14-14 of Fig. 13;

Fig. l5 is a view in central vertical section of still another form of a permanent magnet energized device ernbodying the invention;

Fig. 16 is a view taken substantially along the line 16-16 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a view in central vertical section of still another i`orm of permanent magnet energized device embodying the invention;

Fig. 18 is a View taken substantially along the line ltd- 1S of Fig. 17; and

Fig. 19 is a view taken substantially along the line 19-19 or Fig. 17.

Permanent magnets have long been used as an instrument for picking up or collecting magnetic material. One of the difficulties with the commercial use of magnets for such purposes is` the difficulty encountered in removing the picked up magnetic material from the magnet so that the magnet may be reused for collecting other magnetic material. When permanent magnets are` used for removing magnetic material from storage bins and used to transport this material so that the material may subsequently be used for its desired purposes, this problem becomes particularly acute. Various attempts have been made to overcome these problems as, for example, that shown in Koller Patent No. 2,417,762 of March 18, 1947. While the Koller type of pick up-releasing structure is the line the line commercially satisfactory for some purposes, it does have certain disadvantages especially when present day high power permanent magnets `are utilized. For example, such tools should be designed for one hand operation and as such 4the movement of the magnet is limited to a distance that can be spanned by a normal persons hand. The strength of magnets which can be used, therefore, is somewhat limited. With the advent of more powerful permannent magnets, improved structures are needed to give full release to small particles.

Generically this invention is directed toward a structure in which the material is released by keepering or shunting the ux of a permanent magnet to permit release of the picked up material. One form which the invention may take comprises the combination of a Wall against magnetic material may be picked up, a keeper structure spaced from this pick up wall and a permanent magnet movable from a rst position in which it is adjacent the pick up wall so that magnetic material will be held against the pick up wall to a second position in which the keeper is cooperable with the magnet to shunt suiicient of the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet so that the picked up magnetic particles will be released. More specific form of the invention contemplates a housing having a nonrnagnetic wall portion into which the magnet may be moved to attract magnetic material and a second wall portion formed at least in part from magnetic material so that when the magnet is moved into this last portion the magnet will be keepered to cause the material to fall from the housing. A still more specic form of the invention contemplates guiding means for the magnet to prevent direct contact between the magnet and the magnet keeper and a nonmagnetic material covering for `the keeper. The shown forms of the invention are intended to be illustrative rather than limitative, for example, the keeper may be made movable. The invention, therefore, is yto be determined by the scope of the hereinafter appended claims.

As' used in the specification and claims and unless otherwise set forth, magnetic material is any material such as iron which responds to or is attracted by a permanent `magnet whether or not it retains any magnetism when removed from the influence of the magnet. Nonmagnetic material is any material which does not respond'to or is not attracted by a magnet to any substantial extent.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, and more particularly to Fig. 1,.1 represents generally a permanent magnet energized tool comprising a housing 2 defining an inner chamber 4 containing a permanent magnet 6 movable to a positionadjacent one end wall 8 for picking up magnetic material and movable to a second position adjacent the other end wall 1u for releasing the picked up magnetic material. The housing 2 comprises a thin nonmagnetic material cylindrical wall 12 adjacent the wall 8 and a heavier cylindrical wall 14 adjacent the wall 1i). The adjacent ends of the walls 12 and 14 are secured in telescopic relation as 'by solder 16. The wall 8 is shown as forming a magnet pole piece 18 similar to the pole piece 34 of my said copending application Serial No. 177,541 and is of substantially cone shape and providedwith a nonmagnetic material pin 2G extending substantially from the apex of the pole'piece 18 to prevent direct contact between the magnetic'material 'pole piece 18 and magnetic material surfaces against:

which the tool 1 may be positioned. The upper end of the wall 14 is closed by the upper end wall it@ suitably secured thereto as by screws 22. The upper end wall may or may not be of magnetic material. However, if it is of magnetic material the keepering action of the wall 14 is somewhat improved. The wall lil has a ccntral aperture 24 therethrough in, which is slidably guided a nonmagnetic material rod 26 which may be' of brass ,andis provided at its outer end` portion,l with a transversely extending finger receiving handle 28.

Externally, the tool 1 is also provided with a substantial* ly L-shaped handle 30 suitably secured to the housing 2 as by screws 22 and 32. A laterally extending portion 34 of the handle is spaced outwardly from the wall 10 and handle 28. An annular permanent magnet 6 is longitudinally polarized .to` provide longitudinally spaced ilux producing poles. The 'inner end of the rod 26 is suitably securedfas .by the nuts 36v to a transverse wall member 38 carried bythe magnet 6. The wall 38 preferably is of nonmagnet'i material.l j d A helical. coil compression spring 4t) is located within the chamber 4 concentric with the rod 26 and has one end seating against .thew'vall 38 and its other end seating against the end/wall 10 and acts to urge the magnet toward the wall 8. In 'order to'minirnize the force necessary to move the magnet 6 away from the pole piece 18, a nonmagnetic annular ring 42 is provided between the magnet 6 and the pole piece 1.8. This ring 42 may either be cemented to, and carried by, the pole piece 18 or cemented to, and carried by, the lower end wall of the magnet 6. A y

lt will be noticed that` the` Wall 12 extends upwardly within the Wall 14 to provide a` nonmagnetic guiding portion for the magnet 6 to prevent the, magnet 6 from directly engaging themagnetic material of the keeper wall 14. The prevention of direct contact of the magnet 6 with the lmagnetic wall 14 considerably reduces the force necessary to move the magnet 6 and greatly increases the useability of the tool 1. v

In use the tool 1 may be grasped with the laterally extending handle portion 34 resting in the palm of the users hand with two or more of the users ngers extending downwardly and grasping the handle 28. In this manner the palm of the hand can press against the handle 34 to force the pole piece 18 into a bin of magnetic material such as a keg of nails so that a large number of nails may be attracted to theouter surface of the pole piece 18 and wall 12 of the tool 1. The tool then may be withdrawn from the keg of nails, either by the fingers grasped around the handle lportion 34 or by the fingers grasped around the handle 28. When it is desired to unload the tool 1 the iist is closed thereby pulling the handle portion 28 upwardlyl toward the portion 34 moving the magnet 6 upwardly within the chamber 4 into the keeper 14 which acts to shunt enough of the ilux of the magnet so that any remaining stray ilux is insucient, to hold the picked up nails and they then fall by gravity away from the tool 1 into a suitable container. rlfhis type of construction serves to release magnetic particles` with a thinner wall uncoated keeper than will the form of tool in which'two magnetic poles are presented to the pick up wall as, for example, that illustrated in Figs. 2, 6, 9, 13, etc. Alsosince only one magnetic pole `is in proximity to thekeeper, efective pick up flux will be available with a lesser distance between keeper and magnet. The arrangement shown in Figs.,1 and 5, however, does not lend itself to picking up as large loads of magnetic particles as the two pole pick up form since the two pole pick up forrrr presents the maximum attraction on the lower pickup surface which is the natural place to pick up particles. The one pole pick up form, however, is desirable for entering small apertures and burrowing into a pile of material in search of magnetic particles or parts. y Y

ln Figs. 2, 3 and. 4 there is shown another formi of the invention in which the tool 101 comprises a downwardly opening nonmagnetic material casing 102 having a peripheral side wall 104 and an upper end `wall 106. A thin walled upwardly facing dish-.shapedl casing 108 has an upper outwardly extending peripheral flange 11) which is secured to the lower end of the peripheral wall 194 as by cemen'ting, screws, ,or otherwise to cooperate with the casing 102 to provide arclosed wall internal chamber 112 in which a .lqngitudaally edlafizsdlmagnt 114 is movable from a position within the chamber 112 "adjacent the inner surface of the bottom wall 116 of the casing 108 where it is operable to attract magnetic ma terial to the outer surface of the wall 116 to a position within a magnetic material keeper 118 which acts to shunt a substantial portion of the flux of the magnet 114 where by the magnetic material attracted to the tool 101 may fall away therefrom.

Movement of the magnet 114 is accomplished by a nonmagnetic material rod 120 slidably guided within an aperture through the top Wall 106 and boss 122 formed on the top wall 106. The lower end of the rod 120 is suitably secured to the magnet 114 and the upper end of the rod 120 is located externally of the casing M12 and provided with a transversely extending handle 124 which is adjustably clamped to the rod 120 as by the screw 126. The casing 102 is shown as being provided with a U- shaped handle 12S which extends outwardly from the wall 106 and has a connecting member 130 spaced from the casing 102 by the legs 132. The connecting member 130 is preferably provided with an aperture 134 aligned with the rod 120 which permits movement of the upper end portion of the rod 120 thereinto. The adjustment between the handle 124 and rod 120 determines the movement of the magnet 114 toward the end wall 116. With the magnet in the extreme limit of movement as shown in Fig. 2, the maximum amount of magnetic material may be picked up and as the movement of the magnet 114 toward the wall 116 is limited to provide greater spacing therebetween less material will be picked up by the tool 101. To some extent this lesser pick up power is due to the spacing of the magnet from the end wall 116 and to some extent due to the ux shunting action of the keeper as the magnet is moved closer thereto. The relative effects of these two factors vary depending upon the relative distances involved.

A conical type helical coil spring 136 is arranged concentric with the rod 120. With the magnet in its keepered position the spring 136 exerts only suiiicient force so that when the handle 124 is released the spring will move the magnet out of the keeper 118 against the attractive force tending to hold the magnet 124 in the keeper. Since the attractive force between magnet and keeper rapidly diminishes as the magnet moves away from the keeper, the weight of the magnet and the attractive force exerted by the magnet on magnetic particles which may be adjacent the lower end wall of the casing 108 soon becomes suicient to cause movement of the magnet into engagement with the casing wall. Therefore the free length of the spring 136 may be less than the distance between the magnet 114 and the keeper 11S when the magnet 114 is at the lower limit of its travel. With such an arrangement the magnet is more easily moved into its releasing or keepered position since its initial movement is unopposed by the spring 136. When the spring does finally engage the keeper 118 the force exerted thereby is at least in part overcome by the attractive force between the magnet and keeper. This spring arrangement reduces the effort required to operate the tool.

The magnetic material keeper member 113 opens downwardly and is positioned within the upper end portion of the casing 102 and has end walls 138 and side walls 140 lying within recesses 142 of the peripheral side wall 104 and an upper end wall 144 positioned against the end wall 106. The portions of the peripheral side wall 104 adjacent the recesses 142 provides guiding surfaces 146 at the four corners of the housing 102. These surfaces 146 cooperate with corner portions of a pancake type permanent magnet 114 and act to prevent the magnet 114 from directly contacting the keeper 118. The elimination of this direct contact is particularly important with magnets which are polarized in a plane transversely to the direction of movement since with such an arrangement the magnet tends to rotate and if its corners were permitted to engage the keeper the magnet would be attracted so greatly to the keeper that it would bind and movement thereof would be very difficult thereby greatly reducing the usefulness of the tool. By guiding the mag net and maintaining it spaced from the magnet keeper the force exerted therebetween is substantially less and while the magnet may engage the guides the binding force is greatly reduced and the magnet is readily movable between its keepered and pick up positions.

The presence of the nonmagnetic casing 102 around the keeper 118 permits of a substantial reduction in the wall thickness of a keeper which will permit unloading of small magnetic particles from the tool 101 since the keeper can operated in a more highly saturated condition Without producing enough stray iiux at the outer surface of the nonmagnetic casing 102 to prevent small magnetic particles from falling away from such outer surface. This appears to be due to the fact that the reluctance of the nonmagnetic material is such that even small increases in the length of the iiux path greatly increases the reluctance to flux flow and consequently the iiux tends to concentrate in the portions of the nonmagnetic material close to the keeper and not stray out beyond the nonmagnetic cover to hold magnetic particles thereto. Since nonmagnetic material is normally of lesser weight per unit of volume than magnetic material the resulting tool is lighter and consequently easier to use.

The tool 101 is used similarly as described in connection with the tool 1 and a further detailed description of operation of this tool is believed unnecessary.

ln Fig. 5 there is shown another form of tool 201 which is quite similar to the tool 1 and is provided with a thin nonmagnetic cylindrical wall 202 and a thicker magnetic material cylindrical wall 204 which are suitably secured together in telescopic relation at 206. The tool 261 instead of being provided with the pole piece 13 is provided with ya lower thin nonmagnetic wall 203 similar to the wall 116 of Fig. 2. The upper end wall 21) of the tool 201, like the wall 10, may be either of magnetic or nonmagnetic material and is provided with a central aperture 212 which adjustably receives a cylindrical sleeve 214 held in adjusted position as by means of a set screw 216. A nonmagnetic material rod 218 is reciprocally guided within the sleeve 214 and is provided at its upper end portion with a ring-like handle 2W. Its lower end portion is secured to a cupshaped nonmagnetic material member 222 which is suitably cemented to the inside of a longitudinally poled annular permanent magnet 224. The long bearing surface of the sleeve 214 provides sutiicient guiding action to hold the magnet 224 away from the keeper wall 204. A helical coil tension spring 226 is provided within the chamber 228 formed within the walls 202, 204, 20S and 210 and acts to urge the magnet 224 out of its shown position upwardly toward a position within the keeper 204. A transverse member 230 is suitably secured to the upper end of the sleeve 214 as by the screws 232. The position of the magnet 224 shown in Fig. 5 is that in which it will be placed when it is desired to pick up magnetic material. When it is desired to unload the tool the handle 220 is moved upwardly with respect to the cross piece 230 to move the magnet within keeper 2.04 which shunts sullcient of the flux of the magnet to permit the magnetic particles to drop away from the tool 201.

in Fig. 6 there is shown a permanent magnet energized tool 301 which in many respects is quite similar to the tool 101. However, in this instance, the downwardly opening upper casing 302 is of magnetic material to form the keeper and the upwardly opening dishshaped casing 304 has its bottom wall 306 spaced a much greater distance from the peripheral anges 30S at its upper end portion which serves as a nonmagnetic spacer for the lower end wall of the keeper 302 to prevent small amounts of stray or leakage ux from the magnet or keeper from holding very small metal particles. The flanges 308 are, like the flanges 110, suitably secured to the lower edge of the upper casing 302 to provide an internal chamber 31th The walls of the easing 3ll2 forming the keeper forthe magnet 312, in this form,` are preferably, of greater thickness than thewalls of the keeper M4 so that there will be less stray uX to. attract magnetic material to its outer surface as will be appreciated from the description above in connection with Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

Fig. 9. illustrates a permanent magnet energized tool 400 having an upwardly opening substantially rectangular nonmagnetic casing 402 surrounded at its upper end portion by a keeper structure 404. Specifically, the keeper comprises five rectangular magnetic material plates suitably held to the casing 402 as by sheet metal screws and a resilient nonmagnetic material sleeve or collar it which completely encircles the vertical side plates of the keeper fi-04- and which has a lower inturned lip 4Std which covers the lower ends of the side plates of the keeper 494. The sleeve 4.03 preferably resiliently grips the adjacent outer surface of the low-er case 4d?.

adjacent the lower endV surface thereof to provide a substantially fluid tight joint therebetween. The nonmagnetic flexible sleeve 4% is preferably made of rubber or rubberslike material andreduces the volume of material required in the keeper 494 as is lore fully described with respect to the structure of tool lill.

More specifically, the live plates of the keeper comprise a top wall M2, end walls 4M and 4to and side walls 47rd and 42d. The side and end plates 4l4-42d are slightly spaced from` the outer wall of the casing 4&2 by means of deformed portions 422 of the casing so that upon movement of the permanent magnet 42e upwardly into the keeper rtl4 an excessive attractional force will not tendA to hold the magnet 424 within the keeper d4 The space fizobetween the casing 402 and the keeper rtl4 should be great enough to prevent an undue attractional force between the magnet and keeper which would make the tool hard to operate due to the difficulty of moving the magnet out of unloading position, The space 426 should, however, be small enough withrrespect to the reluctance of the keeper so that enough of the flux of the. magnet 42d will be shunted through the keeper to permit the smallest magnetic particles, for whichthe tool is designed to handle, to drop freely from the tool liitl when the magnet is moved to its position within the keeper 4il4. if desired, the space 421-A may be filled with a suitable nonmagnetic cementing material to further aid in securing the keeper 494 to the casing and to prevent any substantial entrance of dust or moisture to the interior of the casing db2.

it will be noted that the. dimensions of the magnets are slightly less than the inner dimensions of the thin walled nonmagnetic casings to permit movement of the magnets eventhough the casings should become slightly dented or otherwise deformed in use. With a structure proportioned substantially vas shown using an Alnico il! magnet or equivalent of .approximately one inch in diameter and four inches long, l have found the following dimensions which should be taken as illustrative to be satisfactory; a gap of about Mig of an inch between the end andsides of the magnet and the inner wall of the nonmagnetic casing, a wall thickness of about of an inch for ther nonmagnetic casing, a thickness of about /fJ-.of an inch for the space 426, a thickness of about of an inch. for the keeper walls, and a thickness of about V16 of an inch for the thickness of the sleeve. Fig. 9A illustrates a section of the casing db2, space 426, wall did, and sleeve 4%, showing this preferred relative thickness of these parts. it will be apparent thatif magnets of different strength are used or slightly different operating characteristics are desired other relative dimensions mayV be desirable in accordance with the herein teachings.

Thetop wall 4i?. ofthekeeper is provided` with acentraliaperture dtthrough; which a sleeve member 430 extends for telescopically receiving the lower end Cil portion. of the handle 432./ The. member 430, is provided with a peripheral shoulder 434. which seats against the inner surface of the wall 412. The handle 43,2Y comprises deformed tubular member 436 which isV formed from a piece of round tubing by slightly flattening an intermediate portion 43S thereof. The lower circular portion ofthe tubular member 436 telescopes over the sleeve member 43!) and is suitably clamped thereto with its lower edge seating on thel upper surface of the wall 432 as by means of a plurality of screws 440 which extend through apertures in the tube 436 and are screwthreaded into internally threaded apertures in the sleeve member 430 as clearly shown in Fig. l1.

Movement of the magnet 424 is controlled by the nonriagnetic material rod 442 which has its lower endsure seating against the side wall of the magnet 424 and a portion extending upwardlyftherefrom through the guide aperture 446 in the sleeve member 430 and which terminates in the deformed portion 438l of the handle The. rod 442 is lubricated by. an oiled felt washer 443 which surrounds the rod in snug relation and which is held seated on the upper end surface of the sleeve member 430. by a thin rigid washer 445 which seats in a shoulder formed. between the deformed portion ofmember 436. and its non-deformed lower end portion. The central aperture of the washer 445 is preferably of larger diameter thanV the outer diameter of rod T he felt washer 443 also serves as ardust and moisture seal tothe interior chamber of tool 4th).

The deformed portion 438 of the handle 432 is provided with elongated diametrically spaced apertures 454 through which a bar handle. 156 extends, The handle also extends through an. aperture 458l in. theupper end portion of the rod 442.

The magnet 424 whichv is cylindrical in form. is. pro,- vided with a diametrically. extending tapered aperture 44Sy which is aligned with.. a threaded aperture 45t) opening downwardly through end wall surface 444. The tapered aperture 443 has its converging end portion facing the wall 444 and may be made through the magnet 424 in any suitable manner as for exampleV by an electrolytic drilling operation commonly used in the art to make apertures in very hard materials. A headedscrew 452 extends upwardly through` the aperture 44S and is screw-threaded into the aperture 45t) until it bottoms at the end of this aperture and is Of such length that when so bottomed its head portion willcooperate with the tapered walls of the. aperture 448 to loosely hold the magnet 424 to the rod- 442.

The top non-deformed portion of the tubular member 436 is provided with a cap 460 which is adapted to-rest in the palm of the operators hand and' is of suitable external contour to comfortably rest therein. The cap member 469 is held-to the upper end ofthe handle 432 as by means of a diametrically extendingV throughpin 462 suitably held therein by headed end portions. A helical coil spring 464'is held by the pin 462 with one end portion seating against the inner surface of the cap member 46d. The other end 46o of the spring 464 extends downwardly into the deformed portion 438 and terminates above the upper end of rod 442 when the magnet-424m in its downward position as shown. The spring 464 is engaged and compressedv by the upperend of the rod 442 yupon movement of the rod 442 upwardly whereby the spring exerts a force tending to expel the magnet 424 from the keeper 494.

A second spring 4553 surrounds the rod 442 within the casing dilly andisof larger internal diameter than the external diameter ofthe rod 442 with therexception of its end coils which substantially lit the external diameter of the rod i4-2 for holdingl the spring. 463m desired position. The-length-of the'springid?, like thelengthof the spring E36 ot` tool 1tl1,is less thanfthedistance-bef 'tweenfthelmagnet ftzfif-.andthefsleeve member 43.0,. The springs 464 and 468 cooperate together to provide force to expel the magnet 424 from the keeper 404 as described above in connection with the Itool 101. When it is desired to pick up magnetic material the tool 400 is moved downwardly against the material which supports the tool 400 where gravity and/or the attractional force of the magnetic material to be picked up causes the magnet 424 to seat against the end wall 470.

In order to provide for lifting various amounts of magnetic material the tool 400 is provided with an adjustable collar 472 held in position by a set screw 474 such as an Allen head and positionable along the deformed portion 433 of the handle 432 to limit downward movement of the bar handle 456 to determine the spacing between the magnet 424 and the lower end wall 470. The amount of magnetic material picked up will, to a great extent, depend upon this relative positioning as was set forth with respect to the tool 101. The handle structure may be made any desired length from a relatively short handle as shown to one upwards of tive feet in length by increasing the length of the rod 442 and the length of the tube 438. In the event of a longer handle the normal hand space will be maintained between the bar handle 456 and cap member 460.

In Figs. 13 and 14 there is shown a tool 400a which is similar to the tool 400, like parts being identified by the same reference characters as used in describing the tool 400, except that in this instance there are two magnets 424.4 and 424i; and the lower end wall 470a of the casing 402a is contoured to partially conform to the cylindrical surface of the magnets. The longitudinal axes of these magnets are arranged in parallel arrangement with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bar handle 456, and are each provided with diametrically extending apertures 44Sa which may or may not be tapered as is the aperture 448. A pin 476 extends through these apertures 448a and through an aperture 478 in the lower end of rod 442a. The ends of the pin 476 are preferably headed or peened so that the rod is held in its desired position and magnets 424a and 424b are held against undesired outward movement. The aperture 478 is larger than the outer diameter of the pin 476 which extends therethrough so that the magnets are loosely held thereto for proper seating against the contoured lower end wall 47011. The lower end of the rod 442a extends downwardly through a contoured separator member 480 which separator member 480 prevents rotational movement of the magnets 424a and 42417. The separator member 480 also serves as a seating surface for the lower end of the internal spring 468a which, in this construction, may or may not have the end turns of the spring 468a in guiding relationship with the rod 442e. The shown spring 468a is of a single diameter and of a length similar to the length of the spring 468. The springs 468a and 464 cooperate together with respect to movement of the magnets 424:: and 424b similarly as do the springs 464 and 468 with the magnet 424. The operation of the tool 40051 is believed to be apparent from the foregoing description.

In Fig. l there is shown another form of tool 500 which is much like the tool 400er in that it has a plurality of magnets 524 and a bar handle 556. However, the axes of the magnets 524 extend substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the bar handle 556. The magnets 524 are each provided with diametrically extending apertures 548 through which a headed pin 576 extends. In this form the contoured separating members 530 extend downwardly further toward the bottom edge of the magnets but, however, like the contoured separating member 480, are spaced from the inner surface of the lower end wall 570 of the nonmagnetic casing 502. The lower wall 570 is more like the wall 470 than it is like the wall 470a in that it is not contoured to agree with the cylindrical contour of the adjacent magnets. A cross connecting bar S82 extends transversely across the tops of the magnets 524 and is suitablyA secured as 10 by screws 584 to each of the contoured separating members 580.

The apertures 548 through the magnets 524 are of somewhat larger diameter than that of the pin 576 as are also the apertures 57S to permit freedom of movement or looseness between the magnet moving elements and the magnet so that the magnets 524 can properly seat against the inner surface of the lower end wall 570. The top end wall 512 of the keeper 504 is provided with spaced apertures 586 in which suitable guiding bushings 585 may be placed for slidably guiding the rods 542 in a manner to permit movement of the magnets 524. The lower ends of the rods 542 are screw-threadedly connected to the connecting bar 582 and their upper ends are apertured to receive end portions of the handle bar 556 which extends through the diametrically opposite elongated slots in the handle 532. The handle 532 is secured to the end wail 512 in the same manner as shown in connection with the tool 400. Springs 56S are provided and are concentrically and individually arranged with respect to the rods 542 and cooperate together with the spring in the handle 532 in the same manner as the springs 464 and 468.

ln Figs. 17, 18 and 19 there is shown a form of tool 600 which is of the single magnet variety and which comprises an upwardly opening contoured nonmagnetic casing 602 and a one piece keeper 604. The keeper 604- has an upper end wall 612 which is provided with a rectangular aperture 62S for slidably guiding a rectangun lar rod 642 which has a reduced diameter lower end portion 652 rigidly secured Within a diametrically extending aperture 643 inthe magnet 624. The upper end of the rod 642 is provided with an aperture 656 through which a bar handle 456 extends. The upper wall 612 of the keeper 604 is provided with a pair of bosses 68S to which are secured the lower open end portions of a U-shaped handle 690 as by means of screws 692.

The contoured nonmagnetic casing 602 is provided with a lower end wall 670 and outwardly tapering intermediate wail portions 671 and substantially parallelly extending upper portion 673 which telescope around the outer side and end walis of the keeper 604. Screws 606 hold the casing 602 to the keeper 604. In this form, the nonmagnetic casing 602 serves as the nonmagnetic encircling member for the outer side walls of the keeper 604 and the square shape of the rod 642 and the aperture 623 serves to guide the magnet 624 which was guided by the nonmagnetic casing walls in the tools 400, 40011 and 500. A spring 6623 similar to the spring 468 is provided around the rod 642 and functions in a manner similar to the spring 146. r[he manner of use of the tool 600 is believed to be obvious from the description of use of the tools set forth above.

What is claimed and is desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is as follows:

l. ln a magneticaliy energized tool, a structure having an end wall and peripheral side walls, said side walls being fabricated of nonmagnetic material, a magnetic keeper adjacent a portion of said side walls spaced from said end wall, a permanent magnet within said structure and movabie from a first position adjacent said end wall to a second position adjacent said keeper, the axis of said magnet being transverse to its path of movement, and means for holding said magnet from contact with said keeper, said magnet holding means comprising nonmagnetic material.

2. The combination of claim l in which portions of said keeper facing said end wall are covered with nonmagnetic material.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which the end wall of said keeper facing said structure end wall and the outside of the side walls of said keeper are covered with nonmagnetic material.

4. In a device of the character described, a pair of casing sections arranged to form a closed hollow casing,

l 1 one of said sections being formed at least in part of nonmagnetic materialy and having an` end Wall, and a pair of bar type permanent magnets positioned in sideby-side relation with like poles adjacent each other within said casing and movable from a iirst position adjacent said end wall to a second position within the other of said casing sections, at least a portion ofsaid other casing section being of magnetic material to shunt at least a portion of the iiux of said magnet means when said magnet means is positioned within said other section.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which said end wail is at least in part contoured to substantially the contours of said magnets and in which said magnets are loosely secured to a magnet moving device operable externally of said hollow casing.

6. In a magnetically energized tool, a casing having first and second portions, said tirst portion being fabricated exclusively of nonmagnetic material, said second portion being fabricated at least in part of magnetic material, a permanent magnet within said casing and movable alternately into one or the otherof said casing portions, and means guiding said magnet in its movement into said second casing portion and acting to maintain said magnet spaced from said magnetic material.

7. The combination of claim 6 in which said guiding means comprises, at least in part, nonmagnetic inner surfaces of said second casing portion.

8. The combination of claim 6 in which said first casing portion includes a thin wall, and in which means is provided for regulating the spacing between said thin wall and said magnet whereby the amount of magnetic material which said magnet can attract to said wall is controlled.

9. In a magnetically energized tool, a housing having an internal chamber, a first portion of said housing being fabricated of nonmagnetic material, a second portion of said housing being fabricated of magnetic material, a permanent magnet within said chamber, said housing having an aperture opening from said chamber exteriorly of said housing, and an elongated member within said aperture and having one end portion thereof within said chamber and operatively secured to said magnet, the cross section of said elongated member and of said aperture being similar and non-circular whereby said elongated member is held against rotation relative to said housing, said magnet `neing held against rotation relative to said member one end portion.

10. In a tool of the character described, a thin walled casing of nonmagnetic material having an end wall and peripheral side walls, a plurality of magnetic material members spaced from said end wall and surrounding said side walls to form a continuous magnetic material keeper, a top Wall for said casing, a permanent fluxproducing member located within said casing, an elongated longitudinally movable member guided in said top wal?. and having an end portion within said casing, means operatively connecting said ux means to said member end portion whereby movement of said elongated member acts to move said flux means from a position adjacent said first-named end wall to a position adjacent said keeper.

ll. The combination of claim l in which a resilient sleeve eneircles at least a portion of certain of said magnetic material members and at least in part holds said certain members in position.

12. The combination of claim 10 in which said fluxproducing member comprises a bar magnet, said magnet being provided with a tapered wall aperture having its converging end portion opening toward said end portion of said elongated member, and said operatively connecting means comprising a headed member carried by said elongated member and extending within said tapered apertureand through said converging end portions with its headed portion adjacent the portion of said aperture spaced from said converging end portion.

13. In a tool of the character described, upwardly opening thin walled casing of nonrnagnetic materiai having a bottom wall and side walls, a downwardly pening magnetic materialrkeeper structure having waiis surrounding an upper end portion of said Casin and having an end wall, said structure cooperating with said casing to provide a closed chamber, an elastic sleeve surrounding at least a portion of said structure side walls and engageable with said casing walls to provide a seal to prevent foreign material from passing upwardly between said. casing and said structure and to prevent magnetic particles from directly engaging said structure wall portion, a permanent magnet means within said chamber, and means operable externally of said tool for moving said magnet within said chamber.

i4. The combination of claim 13 in which said keeper structure comprises a plurality of separate magnet material pieces at least portions of which are spaced outwardly from said casing.

l5. ln a magnetically energized tool, a housing having an internal chamber, a first portion of said housing being fabricated of nonmagnetic material, a second portion of said housing being fabricated of magnetic material, a permanent magnet within said chamber and movable alternately into one or the other of said chambers, said housing having an aperture opening from said chamber exteriorly of said housing, an elongated member within said aperture and having one end portion thereof loosely secured to said magnet to provide relative movement therebetween, and means to guide said magnet during at least a portion of its movement.

16. In a device of the character described, a casing structure having an end wall and side walls, a portion of said side walls adjacent said end wall being solely of nonmagnetic material, said structure including a keeper portion spaced on the opposite side of said nonmagnetic wail portion from said end wall, a permanent magnetic flux producing means within said structure, a guide member comprising a bearing sleeve supported by said structure, supporting means slidably guided by said guide member and having an end portion extending into said structure, means securing said iux producing means to said guide member end portion, and an elongated member having a guide aperture for said supporting means aligned with said aperture through said sleeve and carried by said sleeve externally of said structure.

17. The combination of claim 16 in which said elongated member is provided with an end wall at its end away from said sleeve, said elongated member having an elongated aperture extending longitudinally thereof, said supporting means comprising a rod slidably guided in said aperture of said sleeve and said elongated member, and a handle secured to said rod and projecting through said elongated aperture.

18. In an article of the character described, an element defining a thin-walled surface against which magnetic material may be held by magnetic attraction, a magnetic material keeper spaced from said surface, a magnet cooperable with said surface to provide magnetic flux at said surface to hold magnetic material against a substantial area thereof, said magnet being movable between a first position in which said magnet is adjacent said surface to provide flux and a second position away from said surface toward said keeper whereby said keeper acts to shunt at least a portion of said flux so that such material will be released from said surface, said magnet being enclosed by said surface in said rst position to prevent material from contacting the magnet.

19. The combination of claim 18 in which said magnet is a bar magnet polarized in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of said magnet.

20. The structure of claim 18 including shelf means positioned along andextending outwardly from the path of movement of said magnet for limiting movement of 13 said material along said surface as said magnet is moved toward said keeper.

2l. The structure of claim i8 including a nonmagnetic housing member which carries said element and wherein said keeper is carried within said housing.

22. The structure of claim i8 wherein said keeper forms at least part of a housing for said magnet and said element is carried by said keeper and cooperates therewith in completing said housing.

23. The structure of claim 18 including shelf means positioned along and extending outwardly from the path of movement of said magnet for limiting movement of said material along said surface as said magnet is moved toward said keeper, said shelf means being positioned a substantial distance away from said second position of said magnet so as to interpose a substantial gap between the magnet and the material when the magnet is in the second position.

24. ln a magnetic tool, a hollow shell of nonmagnetic material and having an end, a permanent magnet, means for supporting said magnet for movement within said shell toward and away from said end, said magnet being of such size as to substantially fill said shell when disposed therein, a hollow shell of magnetic material spaced from said end, said magnet supporting means being operable to move said magnet into said magnetic material shell whereby said magnetic material shell acts to concentrate the liux of said magnet.

25. ln an apparatus of the character described, a casing having side walls and an end wall secured to one end portion of said side walls, a dished member of nonmagnetic material secured to the other end portion of said side walls and opening into the interior of said casing and cooperable therewith to form a housing, a bartype magnet within said housing and having the axis joining its poles lying substantially parallel to said end wall, a carrier secured to said magnet and journaled for movement in said end wall and having an operating portion external of said housing by which it may be moved to move said magnet within said housing, and a iiux conveying member in said housing and cooperabie with said magnet in one relative position with respect thereto to shunt a portion of the flux of said magnet.

26. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing having side walls and an end wall secured to one end portion of said side walls, a dished member of nonmagnetic material secured to the other end portion of said side walls and opening into the interior of said casing and cooperable therewith to form a housing, means forming an outwardly projecting peripheral shoulder on the exterior of said housing, a bar-type magnet within said housing and having the axis joining said poles lying substantially parallel to said end wall, a carrier secured to said magnet and journaled for movement in said end wall and having an operating portion external of said housing by which said magnet is movable within said housing past said shoulder, and a ilux conveying member in said casing and cooperable with said magnet when said magnet is positioned on the side of said shoulder nearest said flux member to shunt a portion of the flux oi said magnet.

27. In a magnetically energized tool, a casing having side walls and an end wall and defining a chamber, a permanent magnet within said chamber, a iirst portion of said side walls adjacent said end wall being thinwalled and fabricated of non-magnetic material whereby said portion will provide a ilux path of high reluctance, a second portion of said side walls spaced from said end wall by said iirst portion being fabricated at least in part of magnetic material to provide a iiux path of relatively low reluctance, said magnet being movable toward said end wall into cooperative relation with said first wall portion whereby flux from said magnet will pass through said casing and attract magnetic material to said casing, said magnet being movable away from said end Wall into a position in which said low reluctance path extends generally between the poles of said magnet so that a major portion of said ux is conducted thereby to cause magnetic material to fall from said casing.

28. In a magnetically energized tool, a casing having rst and second portions, said first portion being fabricated exclusively of nonmagnetic material, said second portion being fabricated at least in part of magnetic material, a permanent magnet within said casing and mov* able into and out of said casing portions, said iirst casing portion having an end enclosing said magnet, means guiding said magnet in its movement into said second casing portion and acting to maintain said magnet spaced from said magnetic material, the outer surfaces of said second portion being of nonmagnetic material.

29. The combination of claim 28 in which said guiding means comprises, at least in part, nonmagnetic inner surfaces of said second casing portion.

30. The combination of claim 28 in which said iirst casing portion includes a thin Wall, and in which means is provided for regulating the spacing between said thin wall and said magnet whereby the amount of magnetic material which said magnet can attract to said wall is controlled.

31. In a magnetically energized tool, a housing including a lower casing having a peripheral side wall of nonmagnetic material with a lower end wall and an open upper end and including an upper casing having a peripheral side Wall of magnetic material with an upper end wall and an open lower end, the upper end portion of said lower casing side wall extending through said upper casing open lower end into said upper casing, a permanent magnet within said housing and movable said lower casing to a position adjacent said lower end wall whereby magnetic material may be attracted to the outer surface of said lower end Wall, said magnet being movable into said upper casing, said last named movement being such that at least a portion of said magnet remains within said lower casing whereby said lower casing acts to space said magnet from said magnetic material.

32. In a magnetically energized tool, a housing including a lower casing having a peripheral side wail of non-magnetic material with a lower end wall and an open upper end and including an upper casing having a peripheral side wall which at least in part is fabricated of magnetic material, said upper casing having an upper end wall and an open lower end, a permanent magnet within said housing and movable to a position adjacent said lower end wall so that magnetic material is attracted to the outer surface of said lower end wall, said magnet being movable toward said upper end wall into said upper casing whereby the poles or' said magnet are keepered by said magnetic material, and nonrnagnetic material for spacing said magnet from said magnetic material.

33. In a device of the character described, a pair of casing sections arranged to form a closed hollow casing, one of said sections being of nonmagnetic mat il and having a thin end wall, a permanent magnet within said casing and movable from a iirst position adjacent said thin wall to a second position within the other of said casing sections, at least a portion oi said other casing section being of magnetic material to shunt at least a portion of the iux oi' said magnet when said magnet positioned within said other section, said other section being provided with a wall substantially parallel to said thin wall, a rod secured at one end portion to said mag net and extending outwardly of said casing through an aperture in said other casing section wail.y a ii-shaped handle having its parallel legs secured to said casing and its connecting leg spaced outwardly of said other casing section wall, a second handle arranged substantial vertical alignment with said connecting leg and secured to said rod externally of said casing, said second handle 15 being movable relative to said first handle to move said magnet between its said positions, and means limiting the relative movement of said second handle in one direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,137,492 Kidney Apr. 27, 1915 16 Koller Mari. 18, 1947 Miller et al May. 31, 1949 Lamb Aug. l, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Apr. 29, 1921 

